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Glassell Park -- For Jennie Cook, the driving force behind her activism around sustainable cooking comes down to appreciating the ground under feet.
“We owe our life to six inches of topsoil,” said Cook in a phone interview.
After 34 years of living in Silver Lake, Cook recently moved to Oakland to be closer to her family. But she still operates her eponymous Jennie Cook's Catering & Plant Based Parties on Fletcher Drive in Glassell Park.
Cook was one of 14 women recently recognized by Congressman Adam Schiff as a District 28 Woman of the Year for her tireless efforts working with youth.
Cook created the culinary school at the 24th Street Garden School Foundation and established the Mystery Lunch Box Challenge, a cooking competition class at Crenshaw and Jefferson High Schools.
She was also head of the board of RootDownLA, which educates children on how to grow, cook, share and sell vegetables; and is a founding member of Food for Lunch!, which lobbied for healthier foods in LAUSD.
Cook has also volunteered with the Silverlake Conservatory of Music and the LA Chapter of Moms Demand Action, a gun safety advocacy organization.
“I just like to teach kids how to cook and be self-reliant,” Cook said. “The more we can do to connect people to the actual plant and understand that this is what fortifies and nurtures your body, the more we can get away from processed foods.”
Cook said she was “shocked” when Congressman Schiff called to tell her about the honor. Her activism comes naturally.
“It’s that old saying: Somebody should do something - I’m somebody.”
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.